Women and girls mostly feel discriminated and unable when it comes to tech, today this sector is taking over almost all the activities we do every day. Many women and girls fear to take courage I this sector due to a lot of reasons but the main one that always comes is that tech is a male sector. well, it is a male-dominated sector but all things that men do there can also be done by women.

The winner of AfricaCodeWeek training, Ms. Noella Tuyishimire shares her experience in the training and her new view of the tech sector as a girl.

Overview:

Noella Tuyishimire was the first in the training which was named AfricaCodeWeek run by Burundi InnovationHub. She shares her journey through the training and the things she realized as a girl in the tech sector to her way to becoming the first in the training. The AfricaCodeWeek was held as a competition of various schools in Burundi, training girls in school as BiHubs aims to empower people, especially girls with ICT technology.

Ms. Tuyishimire shares points on empowering girls who have the fear to join the tech sector and shows that her experience in the AfricanCodeWeek has changed her view of technology.

Who is she, what does she do?

Noella Tuyishimire is a young Burundian lady aged 19 years. She is a student at the Lycee du Saint-Esprit, in the final academic class/year of high school. She is a choir member in her church, the Free Methodist Church in Burundi and a member of the team Masezerano Mass Choir. She’s a devoted Christian who likes the gospel. She likes to study sing, learn and listen to music, above all that she likes justice and to help others where she is able to help.

In an interview with her, she told me what she has learned in Tech as a girl.

“I learned a lot in tech, as a girl tech seems to be one of the last options to choose to work in or get training from. I learned the functionality of applications which need a lot of attention and concentration to get to know how they function.”

It’s not something I would have imagined out of nowhere,

“Before I was trained about the creation and functionality of applications, I used to ask my self how applications functioned, but I learned that for an application to be created to function, you need to know what form of application you need to give it, then code it for you to create a database which is very necessary for the functioning of the application. All this needs to be learned its not something I would have imagined out of nowhere,” she said.

In addition, Noella also shared the benefits that are there in tech for Girls.

“Since technology is emerging in almost all the sectors of life, girls need to know and learn to get the knowledge on technology. This will help them when they have to use it in their daily tasks. When in jobs, girls are needed so that companies and organization can also hire “tech girls” not only boys”.

“In organizations, we observe that women always call the “tech guy ” to work on tech problems but we need to be able to solve all tech problems without the help of boys because we are able to do what they can do and help our country and also the society”.

What message do you have for girls in Tech?

“The message I have for girls on technology is that they should not say, “ in this domain, I can’t do anything, it is only boys who are able to do such things”, but rather they should know that its super possible for us also, we are able without the help of boys for, if you do something with joy and courage you can make it happen, you can make something that is uniquely yours”

“There is a French proverb that says “ petit a petit Loiseaux fais son nid”, which has been translated to, with time and effort you achieve your goals, which applies to today. You may not achieve what you wish to accomplish now, but as you continue with time, little by little you shall reach your wanted results. Therefore girls do not be discouraged or timid of what you may think isn’t right but take courage in something, that is where you will recognize your competency and of what you are capable of ”.

Have you been interested in tech?

“Before I wasn’t so much interested in tech, I may have known somethings but not totally focused on it, I went to be trained as I was taking part of a school project like being part of the team with my fellow girl classmates like me. My school accepted the training to the girls so I went but then, after all that way till now, I discovered that it is very interesting to know about tech, with the training I also discovered that it is not only destined to boys or men but to girls and women too”.

Girls and women, should not fear to join the tech sector, they are capable of doing everything by themselves just like men do.

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